Chapter 4

Mantasha's POV

"Yar zeni, agar kisi ko khush krna ho to kiya krna chahiye? (Hey Zeni, if you want to impress someone, what should you do?)" I asked zainab while we were walking to our home.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" She asked me in confusion.

'I don't want to tell her about Ashar as she will tell mama about it and I'm sure mama is gonna give me a really long lecture about Islam. It's not like I am thinking of having a haram relationship, it's just that I want to know more about him, maybe even marry him some day. Hehe!' I thought and giggles escaped me at the thought of marrying Ashar.

"Nhi esay hi! (No reason!) I mean that if I want to be friends with someone but they don't like me so what should I do to make them like me?" I asked her so she would not doubt me.

"Oh okay! Why don't you cook something for her! Just don't tell her that you cooked it only for her! You should give her the food as if you are giving everyone so that she can't reject it. Start by this and try to sit with her and compliment her on things. This can make her like you! Okay?!" Zainab said while giving me tips.

I think I will cook something for him and give it to him tomorrow. I will make it for him and his friends too but what will I say that why am I giving them food!

'Oh well, I'll think about it later! For now, let's decide what to cook for him!' I thought and thought of making something special and yummy.

We got back home and I shouted my salaam as I always did while zeni said salaam in her usual polite voice. She only complains about me or with me that too ABOUT ME. Sometimes I feel like I am the younger one between us. She is so mature. I also want to be mature like her. I think I am mature for my age, it's just zeni is much more mature than her age.

Mama came out of the kitchen. She was looking beautiful as always in her designer clothes. She was wearing a beautiful printed Kurti with white Capri. Her dupatta was on one of the dining tables' chairs. She was making Roti's for us as she had flour on her hands. She came to us and hugged us. Mama smells so nice.

"Tasha, kitni bar kaha hai k shout mat kiya karo. Araam say bhi to salaam kiya ja sakta hai! Dekho zeni kitnay araam say krti hai! Kuchh to acha seekh lo! Saray mohallay ko sunana hota hai kiya?! (Tasha, how many times do I have to tell you not to shout?! You can greet politely too, now can't you! Look and Zeni and learn at least somethingngood from her! Always shouting for the whole world to hear!)" Mama scolded me as always.

"Kabhi kabhi to lagta hai jesay main apki beti nhi hn. Sirf zeni hi ap ki beti hai! Koi mjh say pyaar nhi krta! Huh! (Sometimes I feel like I am not even your child! Only Zeni is your daughter! No one loves me! HUH!)" I pouted and said. I was just pretending but it seems like they were not buying it too as both of them were looking at me with one eyebrow raised and their hands on their waists.

"Acha khanay main kiya bana hai? (So, what's for the lunch?)" I dismissed their looks and asked as I was really hungry. I did not have any money in university so I did not eat anything.

"Oh, khanay say yaad aya! Mama mjhay kal pesay chahiye hain! Wo actually aj menay new friends banai. Hum canteen chalay gaye or mainay embarrass honay say bachnay k liye kuch order kr liya pr pesay pay kiye bagair hi chalay gaye hum! Pay krna yaad nhi raha is liye kal un ko pay karnay hain! (Oh, I just remembered! Mama, I need some money for tomorrow! Actually, I made some new friends today! We went to canteen and to save myself from embarrassment, I ordered something for myself and we kinda forgot to pay for the food! Since I forgot to pay, I have to pay for it tomorrow!)" I told mama as she is the only one with money. I hope she will give me.

"Haan zaroor! Pesay lay lena pr aj ek time k bartan dho lena phir pesay kama lena! Ab pesay bagair koi kaam kiye to nhi na miltay! (Yes sure! You can earn money if you will clear the dishes of one time today! You can't get money for free, now can you!?) So, earn them yourself!" Mama answered. Well, that was expected. She never gave us money for free. We have to do house work to earn money. Even though papa sends a lot of money but it was always transferred to mama's account. We don't have any accounts and it's not like we will be getting money in our accounts. Papa sends us pocket money on monthly basis but both I and zeni have this bad habit of buying junk food with all the money and enjoy it. We do that only every 1st of the month when we get our pocket money from mama as papa gives them to her and not to us. When we were in UK, he always gave us extra money, secretly. But now, we are on mama's mercy and she only gives us money when we do some house work.

"Annie, mjhay b pesay chahiye thay! Main aj ek time k bartan dho doon gi or ek time k tashi appi dho lain gi! (Aunt! I also need some money! I'll wash dishes of one time and Tashi sister can wash for the other time!)" Zeni said with a sheepish smile as both of us forgot to wash the dishes yesterday and mama did not gave us a single penny. Not even on our first day! She is a real meanie!

"Theek hai! Tum log dho lena or subah mjh say apnay pesay lay lena! (Ok then! You can clean the dishes and I'll give you your money in the morning!)" Mama told us with a smile and a shrug and went back to the kitchen.

"Oh haan, jaldi say fresh ho kr aa jao dono! Khana tyaar hai!" She told us from the kitchen. We ran upstairs in our rooms and took our hijabs. I redo my bun and after that, I washed my hands and face and wore my slippers. After that, I ran back downstairs and sat on one of the chairs. I was the last one to come as zeni and mama were already sitting on their chairs.

Mama took off the lid from the bowl and we saw that it was 'karelay gosht'.

"Ohhh not again! I don't wanna eat it!" Both, I and zeni groaned after looking at the dish and I said.

"Me too!" Zeni also said. We both don't like vegetables. But mama seems to enjoy torturing us.

"Shuru karo! (Get on with it already!)" Mama said in her strict tone. It was her way of saying that she is not gonna take any of ours bullshit so we shut our mouths and started eating. Mama put the Gravy on our plates and one roti for each of us.

It was a little too much but we can't say anything as she was really serious. Mama is a very laid back person but when it comes to our food, she is very strict. She just wants us to eat three meals a day and we are free to eat or do anything for the rest of the day. So zeni and I looked at each other with scrunched up faces but then started eating the food. We actually just shoved the food in our mouths and swallowed it with very little chewing.

"Good girls!" Mama smiled and praised us after we finish our plates. We are not to leave food in our plates as it is disrespectful.